Hand-strap for cars



(No Model.)

B. E. R-OMBAUER. HAND STRAP FOR CARS.

No, 497,893. Patented May 23,1893.

UNrrnD ST TES PATENT OFFIC ERNEST E. ROMBAUER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

HAN D-STRAP FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,893, dated May 23,1893.

Application filed January 31, 1893. Serial No. 460,266. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

I Be it known that I, ERNEST E. ROMBAUER, of St. Louis,Missonri, havemade a new and useful Improvement in Street-Oar Passenger- SupportingStraps, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The strap used by a passenger standing in a street car to steady him is,as hitherto constructed, unsatisfactory in that by reason of its beingsuspended to swing freely it does not, when the passenger is j ostled,provide an adequate support in a lateral direction. The passenger whenshaken usually swings or steps aside and the strap by the movementisshifted into aninclined position, and not until then does the strapfurnish the desired help. To lessen, if not obviate, the difficultyreferred to, and to provide an improved support in the respectmentioned, and which shall materially sustain a passenger against shocksor joltings calculated to move or sway him in the direction of thelength of the car, is the object of the improvement under consideration,which consists mainly in making the strap, as a whole, V-shaped, or inthe form of a part whose upper end is connected with thesupporting-rail, or whatever is employed to sustain the strap, at pointsthereon distanced apart from each other to cause the lower end of thestrap, or portion grasped by the passenger, to be in a plane,vertically, between the mentioned points of connection with thestrap-support, all substantially as is hereinafter set forth andclaimed, aided by the annexed drawings, making part of thisspecification, and exhibiting a desirable form of the improvement, andin which- Figure 1 is a View in perspective showing the improved strapin position; Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 a verticalcross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a vertical cross sectionon the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a vertical cross section on the line5-5 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 a section on theline 66 of Fig. 2. The viewsare not all upon the same scale.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

A represents the customary strap-rail of a street-car. It is aconvenient support for the improved strap, B, in question, a desirableform of which is the one shown, namely, a

as shown. The passenger can inserthis hand 7 in theloop, h of eitherstrap-part, or his hand can pass through the loops of both of the strapparts, or again, his hand can pass between the strap-parts and aroundeither one of them. The two parts of the strap can also be re:spectively held by different persons atthe same time. And still anothermode of using the strap is to pass the hand transversely into and aroundthe crotch, 0, formed by the two strap-parts. In some of the mentionedmodes of use the loops in the strap parts are not essential. I preferhowever to have them embodied in the construction, and substantially asshown. But however used the passenger is sustained against shocks whichare calculated to sway him in a longitudinal direction in the car. For,owing to the direction of the part immediately grasped by the passengerfrom its points of connection with the strapsupport, the strap at onceoffers a resistance to a movement of the passenger in a longitudinaldirection in the car. The strap may also be stayed transverselyin thecar, but, for some purposes, it is desirable for the strap to be free toswing or turn in the last-named direction, and in the presentillustration the strap is so shown. The strap-parts, at the upper endthereof, may be variously attached to, or connected with, thestrap-support so long as the points of connection are arranged asdescribed. Adesirable form of connection is shown: D represents a partadapted to rest upon the rail. It is provided with bearings, d, d, whichmay be inclined substantially as shown, and which serve as the immediatesupports for the upper ends of the strap-parts which, in the presentillustration, pass around the rail and also the described bearings. Thepart, D, also serves to hold the upper ends of the strap parts suitablyapart. This part, D, is not essential, but it is a desirable feature ofthe construction, and more especially in serving to hold the strap-partsapart as described.

It may or may not be shaped to form, or be provided with, the describedbearings for the strap-parts. For these last named parts, namely thebearings, may, if used, be separate pieces from the part D. And so faras bracing or distancing the strap-parts apart is concerned the part Dneed notnecessarily be above the rail. And, in practice, the presentimproved strap may be readily adapted'to existing streetcarconstructions by arranging an equivalent of the brace D beneath therail, substantially as is indicated by the broken lines, D, Fig. 2. Inthe particular form of the part D shown the bearings, d, d, are providedwith shoulders, d to better hold the strap-parts in place. And tofurther and more securely hold said strap-parts the bearings may beprovided with a keeper, 01 Fig. 5, or a fastening such as the screw, d,Fig. 6, may be used. The strap-parts, at the lower end thereof, may beconnected in any suitable manner. In the present instance rivets 11 areused for that purpose. Under some conditions the strap-parts may beintegral. When the part D is used it may be conveniently connected withthe strap-parts by means of the rivets b. The improved strap,

asa whole, is preferably adapted to be adjusted longitudinally upon therail or its support.

In'the application of the present improvement I desire not to berestricted to streetcars, as it can be used advantageously in otherconstructions, as, for instance, in an omnibus or on board a ship.

I claim- 1. In combination with the strap rail of a street car, a strapsupport resting thereon, and provided at its respective ends withbearings for the straps, and straps secured to and upon said supports,and at their lower ends to each other, substantiaily as described.

2. In combination with the strap rail of a street car and the shoulderedbearings thereon, the looped straps B, each riveted together near therail and secured together at their. looped lower ends by a rivet,substantially as described.

3. The hereindescribed passenger-supporting strap having the two loopedparts Whose lower portions are connected, and whose upper ends arespaced apart from each other by their points of connection with thestrap-support, substantially as described.

Witness my hand this 28th day of January, 1893.

ERNEST E. ROMBAUER.

WVitnesses:

O. D. MooDY, A. BONVILLE.

